Daffodils "Fortune": The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

At the AGM last December daffodil bulbs were handed round, in readiness to grow for a competition at the Monthly Meeting in April 2020. Alas,  because of the Coronavirus outbreak the meeting has been cancelled.
So, we thought it would be an idea to see what has happened to those that are growing the bulbs, with hopefully a comment on how they have got on.
We hope the early  photos will show us how things are at the beginning of April.
Any submissions will be added to those below:

WS makes progress with the 2020 bulbs plus the 2019 (background) as well

PW's effort.Will it be flowering in early April?

Planted in December, moved it indoors in January and it flowered early March.

This year planted 12 Jan & grown on a shelf inside the small window of my shed. (I don’t have a greenhouse). Doing well. CD

Promise I’ll do better next year.  😂😂😂 MR

Only one of two bulbs in this pot....

.....but two in this one. However, both pots are too early in flower, and likely to be over by April MY

The Coronavirus: a note from the Chairman

Following the Government’s advice your Committee have taken the decision to cancel the April meeting of the Society and we will make a decision in due course about the cancellation of the rest of our meetings up to the summer.

As our daffodil competition will not happen if you have any photographs of them can you please send them to Malcolm Young (lodhsgardens@gmail.com) and we will put them up here.

It also looks likely that we will have to call off both the plant sale and the planned ‘Summer Show’

We will try and keep you informed of developments via e-mail and on our blog. The monthly newsletter will be going out by email only.

If we are required to self-isolate at least we have our gardens to enjoy.

If your daffodils are looking good can you add them to the Woodhouse Centre garden to give it some more spring colour. Just tuck them away nearby and Chris will plant them.

Wishing you all the very best

Yours

Richard Meakin

Chairman Limpsfield Oxted and District Horticultural Society

Primula Auriculas - March 2020

On Wednesday 4 March, at our Monthly Meeting we enjoyed a well presented talk by Rachel Castle. 
She  owns and runs Swallowfields Nursery, a small specialist nursery at Elmstead in Kent, specialises in, her true love are Primula Auricula in all its various forms
Their natural habitat is the mountain regions of Europe, Pyrenees, Alps and Dolomites which gives a clue to their preferred conditions, good drainage, sunshine but partly shaded with little nutrients.
The Huguenots were keen horticulturists and when they fled Europe to the UK brought Auriculas with them. 50,000 of them fled from France  to England and many settled in Kent. There is even a Huguenot Chapel in Canterbury Cathedral.

Rachel after her talk

We viewed images of the various categories of Primula Auriculas. Borders which smell divine, Alpines without the dusting of farina with dark to light gradation of the blooms with little scent and Doubles with a wonderful scent. Then there are the Show Auriculas: selfs, green edged, white edged, stripped and fancy most with wonderful dusting of farina giving them an almost unreal appearance. They are, however, difficult to grow.
Rachel concluded with her top tips for successful growing:
No Swimming 
No Sunbathing 
Regular bottom inspections 
We then had the opportunity to view and purchase a selection of Auriculas.

Above and below: some of the plants for sale